It’s another new year, and time for me to make my annual pitch for the #ReadICT Challenge.
It’s the sixth year for this Wichita reading challenge. And here’s how it works: There’s a list of 12 categories, which you can find online at KMUW.org or at the Wichita Public Library’s website. Over the course of this year, you read books that fit into each of those categories. And that’s it: 12 categories, 12 months, 12 books.
You can do it in any order, and you can mold and stretch the categories to fit your particular reading tastes. For example, Category 1 is a book by a debut author. This could be a brand new author, or the first work published by a well-known writer you love. I’ve read almost everything written by novelist Ann Patchett, but I’ve never read her 1992 debut, “The Patron Saint of Liars,” so that might be my pick for this category.
Category 3 is a book that intimidates you. This could be a long or complex work (James Joyce’s “Ulysses” comes to mind), or some other classic you never got around to reading in school. All the categories are open to interpretation, and you can read fiction, nonfiction, whatever floats your boat.
Other #ReadICT categories this year include an immigration story, a book based on mythology or folktales, and a book that deals with mental illness. I seldom have trouble finding books that would fit into the various categories; my problem is narrowing the possibilities. If you’d like to log your reading and qualify for some great prizes along the way, you can do that at the library’s website.
So happy 2022, and happy reading.
